The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-02-18
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Taylor and Federal Aid" That the
Governor did not reflect the views
Of his party in Tennessee upon the
question Of national aid to education
out of any surplus which might be
in the treasury, will hardly be con-
lroveried; your prompt denial that
ne reflected the views Of the mass es
of the people in his message will meet
tho hearty appreciation Of Democrats
everywhere. While l accord to
Gov. Taylor. as I 10 to every other
individual, the right Of lis honest
convictions upon all public question;
! deny that, as the representative Of
the Democratic party and astthe expo
nent Of Democratic principles aud poi
cies in Tenne see, he has the right to
advocate principles and policies at
variance with those contained in tie
platform on which he was elected,
and which he claimed to have held
before his election. 1t would seem
that L. L. Taylor, as the Democratic
candidate for governor Of Tennessee,
and R. L. Taylor, as Governor, are
as unlike as daylight and darkness,
IL Gov Taylor believed that Con-
grcss had the power, under the Con
stijution, to levy and collect ia Xcs
from the people to be distr ibu.ed
amongst the States for educational
purposes, aud that the good OF the
people demanded that this should be
done, as a man Of convictions and
purity Of purpose, he should haYe
declined the nomination when ten
derrd him on platform which did
not reflect his views upon this ques-
ton, which was then known to be
the leading issue in the canvass. II
Gov. Taylor has always been in ia
vor Of this scheme, as isnow charged,
he practiced what, in other men,
would be a fraud on the Democrats
Of Tennessee when he accepted the
nomination on a platform which OPP
posed that and all kindred measures.
He understood his platform to de-
nounce the scheme of aid 10 the
schools Of the States out ofthe sur.
plus in the Treasury, and so declared
in the speeches made by him during
the canvass. And in his letter of
acceptance he said he Endorsed the
platform adopted by the convention
which nominated him, This was
euher true or false. Was lie then
opposed to this scheme? If so, why
does lie favor it now? Have there
been any changes in the conditions
surrounding that question during
the last three months, or has the
party changed fro MT on that question
since the election last fall? Where
is tile evedenco Of any such radical
BY his platform and his
uteranccs upon the stump, be was
ommltted to the policy Of opposing
national AID to education out Of the
revenues collected by taxation. Y ct
in his message he advocates the pol
icy he then condemned. Ii the mem
bers Of the Legislature We're t. take
the license the Governor has taken
that of violating the pledges made
in the platform and in the can ass
they would receive the just con-
domination Of every honest man in
the State. In times past members
of the Legislature have, in a few in
stances, violated the pledges made
to theirpeople, butin every instance
they have been buried, politically,
and ever afterward ocked upon
with distrust. II such conduct is
lot to be condemned, and the agents
Of the people are to be permitted to
violate their pledges with impuuity
what assurance have the penple
that their win is ever to be respected
When the point is reached that the
agents Of the people cannot be trus-
ted representative governments viii
be a failure.
Suppose the members of The pres
ent Legislature, who are pledged to
the prohibition amen dment
to the people, after they reached
this city had gone over to the whisky
mig, rs The Governor has gone over
to the mugwump ring, and had de-
clmed to carry out their pledges by
voting down the proposed amend
meut, would they not have been
Justly condemned as traitors to the
people and their political parties?
They would have been burned III
efIigy by their outraged constituents.
Has not the Governor advocated
measure which his platform and
canvass condemned, and what name
shall be given to an act which would
be party treason in a member Of the
Legislature, when committed by the
Governor of a sovereign State? Is
it any less a crime because done by
one higher in authority? Are We to
have two standards of political NOR
ais; one for the lesser aud one tor the